Greeting card and candle contained therein



Feb. 19, 1963 J. o. GASPARD GREETING CARD AND CANDLE CONTAINED THEREIN Filed Dec. 15. 1960 M VENTOR JOSEPH O. GASPARD ATTORNEY Uite States Patent 3,077,981 GREETING (IARD AND ANDLE C(BNTAINEI) TIEREIN Joseph I). Gaspard, Tuxedo, Winnipeg, lanitoha, Canada, assignor to Gaspard & Sons Ltd, Winnipeg, Manitoha, Canada Filed Dec. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 75,6il3 8 Claims. (Cl. 20d47) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in greeting cards as combined with candles, specifically candles adapted to be used as a greeting card and as such that can be signed with the signature of the sender and mailed to a recipient.

The principal object and essence of my invention is therefore to provide a greeting card in the form of a cylinder made of plastic, paper, or other fibrous material having non-inllamable or flame resistant properties and being transparent or translucent in nature, so as to transmit light from a source such as a candle, contained therein and which, in turn, is contained within a second cylindrical container manufactured from similar material and capable of sliding up and down within the second cylinder to facilitate the lighting of the candle. The outer container is characterized by colored designs appropriate to the greeting involved, so that when the candle is burning, the designs become illuminated by the candle flame burning within the inner candle container. The outer container is preferably provided with at least a portion thereof having a dull finish adapted to receive an ink signature.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is particularly adapted for mailing within a relatively short mailing tube having a screw cap thereon and bearing an address label on the outside thereof and further characterised by a colored design of complementary, sequential, or identical design but appropriate to the design of the greeting card candle container therein. In addition the container provides space for postage, return address and the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which provides a novel idea of a greeting card or greeting message and which furthermore can be stood upright on a supporting surface with the candle light shining through the outer translucent container thus adding to the attractiveness of the device and at the same time providing a safe vehicle for the burning candle. Alternatively, the device can be supported within the recess provided in the lid of the mailing tube.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes a relatively short inner container, holding the candle therein, and adapted to be moved upwardly within the outer container so that the candle can be ignited whereupon the candle and the inner container can he slid downwardly towards the base of the outer container and thus enclose the wick and flame and illuminating the entire outer design.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described that is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and where the greeting card is simply shaped into a candle container, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as herein Patented Feb. 19, 1963 lice after more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective, exploded, and partly sectioned view of my device.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing the greeting card and candle supported by the mailing tube.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe my invention in detail, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated a substantially cylindrical candle element It) having a wick 11 provided centrally therethrough, supported upon a conventional wick stand (not illustrated).

This candle element It) is contained within a cylinder of transparent plastic 13 which in turn is cemented by the lower end 14 thereof to the downturned lip 15 of a circular metal base plate 16 upon which the wick stand is rested.

In this connection it should be observed that the height of the candle element It) is shorter than the height of the transparent plastic inner cylinder 13 so that the candle flame 17 is always below the upper edge 18 of this inner cylinder.

This inner cylinder is adapted to be fitted within an outer cylindrical plastic casing 19 manufactured preferably from a translucent or transparent plastic, the fit of said inner container being such that it can be slid readily up and down the outer container, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.

It will also be observed that the height of the inner container 13 is less than the height of the outer container 19.

The outer container 1%, which preferably is of a relatively thin plastic so that it can be squeezed inwardly and should preferably be provided with a surface texture readily adapted to take ink so that it can be written upon by the sender.

It is also desirable that various greeting designs 20 be printed upon the outer container in various colors.

Means are provided to contain the inner container within the outer container and to prevent undesirable displacement thereof, said means comprising an inturned perimetrical lip 21 formed at the upper and lower ends of the outer container as clearly shown in FIGURE 2.

In this connection it will be observed that the lip 21 at the lower end of the outer container 19 is adapted to receive the downturned end 15 and the surrounding lower end 14 of the inner element when the element is in its lowermost position.

In operation, the necessary message is written on the outer container by the sender whereupon the entire device is slipped within a conventional mailing tube 22 and enclosed by means of a screw cap end 23.

This may then be mailed in the ordinary way and it is desired that the outer surface of the mailing container also contain appropriate designs and messages depending upon the design and messages imprinted upon the outer plastic container 19.

The recipient removes the candle from the mailing tube 22 and in order to use same, pushes the candle element It) and the inner container 13 upwardly to the uppermost end of the outer container so that the wick 11 protrudes thereabove. In this connection, the inner container 13 and the candle 10 may be maintained in the uppermost position by gently squeezing the outer container 19. When the wick is lit, the squeezing pressure is removed from the outer container whereupon the inner container and candle descends by gravity to the lowermost position.

The device may then be set upon a supporting surface and the light from the wick illuminates the design and message through the translucent outer casing 1%. It will also be observed that the wick flame is completely shrouded when in use for reasons of safety and also to obtain the maximum eiiect from the flame. Furthermore, any melted wax from the candle is retained within the inner casing 13 and does not interfere with subsequent sliding action which may be required in order to relight the candle at any time.

Finally, the downturned lip 15 of the metal base 16 in conjunction with the inturned lip 21 formed at the base of the outer casing, supports the device clear of the supporting surface so that Wax and the like does not damage the same.

By forming a depression 24 within the cap 23, the diameter of said depression being slightly greater than the diameter of the cylinder 19, the device may be supported upon the lid or cap after same has been replaced upon the tube 22 as shown in FIGURE 2.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A candle construction comprising in combination a candle element and wick therefor, a flexible plastic container within which said candle element is cast, and a flexible plastic outer container surrounding said first mentioned container, said first mentioned container being shorter in height than said outer container and frictionably slidable endwise therein, and means at the upper and lower ends of said outer container adapted to limit the endwise movement therein of said first mentioned container.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which said candle, said inner container and said outer container are cylindrical, said inner container being transparent, said outer container being translucent.

3. The device according to claim 2 in which said candle element is shorter in height than said inner container.

4. The device according to claim 3 in which said means includes an inturned lip formed on the upper and lower ends of said outer container, and a metal base plate on said inner container, said base plate having a do-wnturned lip adapted to engage said lip on the lower end of said outer container when said inner container is at the lower end of said outer container.

5. The device according to claim 2 in which said means includes an inturned lip formed on the upper and lower ends or said outer container, and a metal base plate on said inner container, said base plate having a downturned lip adapted to engage said lip on the lower end of said outer container when said inner container is at the lower end of said outer container.

6. The device according to claim 1 in which said candle element is shorter in height than said inner container.

7. The device according to claim 6 in which said means includes an inturned lip formed on the upper and lower ends of said outer container, and a metal base plate on said inner container, said base plate having a downturned lip adapted to engage said lip on the lower end of said outer container when said inner container is at the lower end of said outer container.

8. The device according to claim 1 in which said means includes an inturned lip formed on the upper and lower ends of said outer container, and a metal base plate on said inner container, said base plate having a downturned lip adapted to engage said lip on the lower end of said outer container when said inner container is, at the lower end of said outer container.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,377 Candy May 14, 1935 2,340,527 Builfoil Feb. 1, 1944 

1. A CANDLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CANDLE ELEMENT AND WICK THEREFOR, A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC CONTAINER WITHIN WHICH SAID CANDLE ELEMENT IS CAST, AND A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC OUTER CONTAINER SURROUNDING SAID FIRST MENTIONED CONTAINER, SAID FIRST MENTIONED CONTAINER BEING SHORTER IN HEIGHT THAN SAID OUTER CONTAINER AND FRICTIONABLY SLIDABLE ENDWISE THEREIN, AND MEANS AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID OUTER CONTAINER ADAPTED TO LIMIT THE ENDWISE MOVEMENT THEREIN OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED CONTAINER. 